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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26099692">Magenta Dashed Skies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Bee_blue/pseuds/Angel_Bee_blue'>Angel_Bee_blue</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchWannabe/pseuds/WitchWannabe'>WitchWannabe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Invader Zim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asocial characters, Body Horror, Demon Gaz, Dib Being an Asshole (Invader Zim), Familiars, Family Dynamics, Insomnia, Lucille(oc), M/M, Necromancer Skoodge, Only in chap 8 tho!, Soulmate AU, ZaDr, Zim is mean, Zim just wants to cuddle, Zombie Characters, chap 8 is tagged in the summary, dib doesn’t sleep, food description, gardening but romantically, skeleton animals, spider characters, witch characters, zim is a brat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:26:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26099692</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Bee_blue/pseuds/Angel_Bee_blue, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchWannabe/pseuds/WitchWannabe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dib’s not a lucky person, when an obnoxious Magenta witch bumps into him and turns out to be his soulmate how can this get worse.</p><p>Zim’s life finally got better all he has to do is get this handsome cold witch to let him in.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dib &amp; Gaz (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim), Invader Skoodge &amp; Zim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Basics -Lore Chapter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A au I got more invested than the original</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some notes before hand to aid with understanding of the story! Thanks to @kordrawszadr on tumblr, you rock dude!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bee’s note- this au was started mid 2019 and has a lot of lot of love behind it, I have a lore chapter or two that you’re going to want to read.
(It’ll make more sense if you do)<br/>
This au is really my magnum opus in my eyes. I hope y’all enjoy it and love it as much as I do.</p><p>This au takes place in relatively modern times; cars, cellphones, televisions, all exist. In this universe, magic also exists! A huge problem that magic beings face, is the fact that electricity dulls and, in the big city, even stops the ability to use magic entirely. Modern witches, unlike their historical counterparts, can easily pass as humans, and many have to do so often. (for example to get supplies for their covens)<br/>
Witches live in communities of covens that teach the young and care for the elderly with a library, food source and other necessities depending on the size of said coven.<br/>
Here’s some vital info!<br/>
•are gendered but don’t have defined genitalia<br/>
•do have soulmates, otherwise don’t have intimate relationships aside from family and familiars<br/>
•human look-alikes<br/>
•originally looked impish and had fur and tails, but evolved to look like humans so they could interact safely with them<br/>
•genitals don’t form until the meeting of one’s soulmate, then they will develop.<br/>
•most harbor distaste for humans and this avoid them<br/>
•certain witch communities that evolved without human interaction still retain fur and tails<br/>
•look alike witches have a major disadvantage to the weather without fur<br/>
•magic saps warmth and so magic users have fur or dress warmly to combat this<br/>
•the more magic you have, the colder you are and the more respected you are<br/>
•witches are social creatures but adapt incredibly to isolation<br/>
•do need sleep and food to function naturally<br/>
To expand on the shift between historical witches and modern witches please read the bonus lore chapter.
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The finer details- Lore chapter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lore continued.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To expand on the shift from early witches, to ones we see today, you must first understand how magic effects the body. A creature’s body is drained of warmth, because of how hard it’s working to produce such extraordinary abilities. Because of how quickly their temperatures dropped, witches had evolved thick fur that covered their entire bodies.<br/>
As witches began to interact with the growing human population, they soon realized that they weren’t welcome. The homo saipans thought witches were demons, and so began to slaughter them; torture, and burning were the most common ways for humans to dispose of a witch.<br/>
Some witches, in order to slip into human towns, the witch species learned a spell that transformed themselves into human “lookalikes.” The ones able to master this magic lived long enough to pass it on to their children and their children’s children.<br/>
Over the decades, the witch species gradually evolved to have less and less fur. Eventually, all witches were relatively hairless, except for the hair on their heads and faces. Because of their lack of fur, the new-age witches relied on thick clothes, and their newfound warmth of a soulmate.<br/>
</p><p>Witches’s soulmates are essential to the final maturing of a witch. Soulmates can be of any species, human, monster, familiar, maybe even demons. ;))<br/>
Witches can believe a few things about soulmates,  that they are preselected/fate or a random event that can occur with whoever is the most compatible with you emotionally.<br/>
Soulmates will form genitalia after meeting their soulmate. This will be painful for both   of them, the receiver dealing with far worse pain usually due to how much more it is to gouge a hole out and stuff your innards with eggs, tubes, and sacs rather than grow a protrusion and the corresponding organs </p><p>Why did I describe it like that? Regardless, time to dive into Character details!</p><p>Let’s start With the Membranes,<br/>
They live in a small coven consisting of their home and farming land. Membrane looks after the forest as the protecter, keeping out bc and relocating invasive species and checking on monsters and spirts to keep the peace. His magic has been severely weakened by a demon and dark magic, but he has enough power to tend to his many plants and protect his children,<br/>
Speaking of children, he has two, contrived of pure magic his children are immensely powerful. Dib is a pure clone while Gaz is half demon. Dib doesn’t have a specialty and Gaz chose healing and demonic magic.<br/>
The two get along well enough, hunting monsters and gardening amiably with their sickly father. Both have an interest in literature, Dib enjoying spell writing by hand and Gaz enjoying human novels.
</p><p>As for the magenta witch cast we have 3 main characters, Tak, Skoodge, and Zim.<br/>
Tak is the eldest of the 3, preferring familiar heavy combat and thralls, mostly working with her familiar Mimi. She has a short temper and is the only one officially a magenta witch, having the binding spell tattoo.<br/>
Skoodge is Tak’s main apprentice and is the nicest of the three. He’s a powerful necromancer who’s deceivingly warm. He’s protective of Zim due to their childhood and does his best to keep the peace in the group. He additionally does the majority of the cooking.<br/>
Finally we have Zim. He is nothing but trouble, for tak, and the coven. He’s bratty and confident to mask his flaws. With a unshaken ego and a tongue of silver with wit to match. He has two familiars, a puppy and a bizarre smaller than average moose that seemed to influence the very world around it. Zim has no specialty, but takes a keen interest in human technology. He’s the warmest of the three and very invested in the idea of soulmates.<br/>
The three are cousins, Zim and Skoodge being First cousins, and Tak their 4th. Zim and Skoodge’s parents died tragically in a building fire, leaving them under the care of Tak. They have been her apprentices and family ever since.</p><p>•Additional Anatomy notes!•<br/>
•have two stomachs<br/>
•1 heart, 5 heart chambers in said heart<br/>
•lungs similar to humans<br/>
•only 1 intestine, very long<br/>
•one filtration organ, like joined liver and kidneys, but stronger<br/>
•flexible spines of cartilage, the rest of the skeletal system is bone<br/>
•Excrete waste similar to seagulls<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Stars Cross</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dib rounded the corner and ducked below a branch as he heard the pounding of clawed feet on the ground behind him. Gaz decided to skip the hunt today, because “she needed some dad time.” However, that was fine with Dib, he liked solo hunts. Dib was rather far from home, he had already passed the pond and the little civilization of Bellites on the edge of the calm water.<br/>
He was in new territory and being chased. ‘This is fun’ thought Dib as he leaned forward, clung to a branch, and climbed out of the creature’s path. The creature charged forward and Dib sighed in relief as it passed, leaving him unscathed. He opened his bag to scavenge for something to aid him amidst the endless source of baubles, trinkets and things to ward off the bad in his search for some great item lost to the seemingly endless storage space of the side bag. He was so focused on finding the long lost macguffin he didn’t notice how a figure hung from the tree above him.<br/>
“What are you doing in my tree bitch?”<br/>
Dib flinched and nearly fell, he pulled out an offending finger that hummed with nervous energy.<br/>
“Who the hell are you?”<br/>
The pale boy with green tinted flesh rolled lavender eyes and scoffed.<br/>
“First some boy comes into MY tree, then he has the GALL to not know who I am? Me, ZIM! The world's finest witch!”<br/>
“I’m Dib. Dib Membrane.”<br/>
Dib took his non humming hand and offered it for the boy to shake. The boy scrunched up his face but reached a gloved hand out delicately.<br/>
The moment they touched dib felt a jolt go down his spine and he shivered. The boy’s eyes went wide and his mouth agape.<br/>
“You’re, you’re…<br/>
FREEZINg!”<br/>
Zim drew back his gloved hand and breathed on it and rubbed it furiously.<br/>
“Why are you so cold!?”<br/>
“Um, I’m actually composed of magic.”<br/>
“Magic takes warmth, the more you have the colder you are!” Zim jolted startlingly and exclaimed loudly,<br/>
“OF COURSE!”<br/>
Dib was lost in thought as Zim sat closer to him on the tree branch.<br/>
“Do you believe in the concept of soulmates?”<br/>
Dib asked offhandedly <br/>
“Of course I do, it’s selective breeding at its finest.”<br/>
“Do… you think we have any connection?”<br/>
Zim was quiet for a moment.<br/>
“Do you ask everyone that? Now out of my tree and back to wherever you came.”<br/>
Zim shoved Dib off the branch and Dib barely caught himself. Dib groaned and decided to just head home.<br/>
Little did he know he was being followed.<br/>

Dib arrived back home tired and sore.<br/>
“I’m home!”<br/>
His father could be seen coming down the stairs and hugging the boy tightly.<br/>
“How are you son?”<br/>
I’m sore and tired and I think I met my soulmate, they pushed me off a tree branch, and I caught a swallow.”<br/>
“You what?”<br/>
“I released it!”<br/>
“No, not the swallow, the soulmate business!”<br/>
“Oh right, I think I met my soulmate.”<br/>
Dib hung up his side bag after grabbing his grimoire out.<br/>
“Well we’re there any signs?”<br/>
“Well when we touched hands it sent chills down my back and I just felt like I wanted to know him. See who he was and how he lived. That and I think my organs are trying to reorganize themselves.”<br/>
His father nodded and seem to be worried.<br/>
“The pre pain. Don’t worry son, you’ll be safe and we’ll see what anti pain spells we can use on you. It’ll be alright just stay calm and lie down somewhere okay?”<br/>
Dib nodded and climbed up the stairs, walking past the study room, restroom, the storage room and Gaz’s room before taking a right into his own room and setting down his grimoire. He flopped into his warm bed and, having already left his shoes outside, snuggled into the piles of warm fuzzy blankets. He was so not as cold and comfy he didn’t notice the identifiable chill of being watched and the lavender eyes from beneath a magenta hat on his balcony.<br/>
He could almost feel himself falling asleep, crazy I know, when he spotted a flash and a quick magenta when he felt his abdomen in pain. The boy in magenta fell on the balcony and could be heard hissing through his teeth in plain as gloved hands clutched his own abdomen.<br/>
Alerted by the foreign creature in his domain his father slammed open the door face dark and smoky wisps leaking from his gloves.<br/>
“Who DARE enter a witch’s domain!?”<br/>
The two boys didn’t answer and instead tried not to scream at the pain, key word tried. Zim’s screaming was so full of pain and anguish that Dib could almost feel his own throat getting raw. Dib, despite the pain, crawled over to the now crying boy and focused on mumbling a spell as the world spun. Zim’s screaming died down to sniffles and he slumped into Dibs shoulder. It took all of Dibs power not to fall over, instead he rubbed the other witches back.<br/>
“Shh, it should be over soon. It’s gonna be okay.”<br/>
The slumped boy seemed to relax and could soon be heard making small snores. Something sparked in Dibs heart and he smiled to himself as he set the sleeping boy on his warm bed. The pain had died down and dib felt the strangest urge to fall to his knees and watch the boy on his bed sleep.<br/>
His father stepped forward and rubbed his head awkwardly.<br/>
“So you managed that quite well, should I make a snack for them when they wake up? “<br/>
“Most likely, thanks dad.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Necromancer, The Mentor, The Smitten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Zim came to, he expected to be shook awake by his cousin so they could train early. Instead he woke naturally to a contented face in front of him. Zim flinched back and scratched at the boy.<br/>“Ow!”<br/>“Who are you! Where the stars am I?”<br/>The boy hissed in pain and held his now bloody nose before answering.<br/>“I’m Dib, you’re in my room, you’ve been sleeping since you passed out.”<br/>The previous day came flooding back to Zim and his jaw dropped as he struggled to identify what he was feeling. Zim threw the warm blankets off him and adjusted his cloak. <br/>“I have people expecting me back in the coven. I don’t have time for, frivolous interactions with some hermit witch.”<br/>Dib’s eyebrows furrowed and he picked up a plate of sweet pastries.<br/>“Well, would you like a snack before you go?”</p><p>Zim was soon on his way back to the coven village with pastries even his mentor would be jealous of. When he arrived home to the all upper level dwelling he was greeted with the smell of something delicious in the air and his two familiars sleeping on his bunk.<br/>“I’m back.”<br/>Skoodge turned his head to look back at Zim and smiled at his cousin.<br/>“I was worried there, but your familiars were so calm I knew you were alright.”<br/>Zim looked around the room and seeing that the two witches mentor was absent pulled out the leftover pastry.<br/>He shoved it at Skoodge and huffed, Skoodge took it and bit the corner excitedly. His eyes went sparkly and he beamed at Zim before shoving the whole thing in his mouth and asking Zim where he got it.<br/>“Oh, nowhere important.”<br/>“Oh really, is that so?”<br/>Tak was seen sliding down the pole from the upper levels of the building and she placed her hand on her hip and glared at Zim from beneath her hat when she reached the bottom.<br/>“Yes ma’am, nowhere important.”<br/>“Clearly important enough to stay the night there. I have half a mind to curse you for your lies.”<br/>Skoodge’s eyes grew with worry and they practically begged Zim to tell what had happened. Zim groaned and kicked at the floor before speaking.<br/>“I followed what I assumed was just a lost human, turns out not only was he a witch, and a damn cold one at that, he was also my soulmate.”<br/>Skoodge gasped quietly and gave the caldron above the fire another stir.<br/>Tak snickered.<br/>She laughed, <br/>She cackled.<br/>“You? Find your soulmate? Ha! That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard in my whole life.”<br/>Zim scowled.<br/>“I did meet my soulmate! I can prove it!”<br/>Tak scoffed and laughed a few seconds more.<br/>“How, the only way to tell is to see your organs-“<br/>“Or! Analyze interactions, no reason to disembowel our cousin Tak…”<br/>Skoodge smiled awkwardly, clearly green at the mere thought of seeing his cousin’s organs.<br/>“Well regale us about your little ‘interaction’ Zim.”<br/>“Well I was in my tree yesterday after practice and this boy is getting chased by a boar monster and he jumps up into my tree to avoid the dumb thing. So he starts getting all calm and comfy in MY tree, so I tell him to get out of it . Then he points his finger at me, clearly ready to cast some horrible spell on me and asks who I am-“<br/>“Give us the short story Zim, we don’t have all day.”<br/>Tak raised an eyebrow and tapped her foot idly while her crossed arms tightened underneath her cloak.<br/>“So we swapped names, and shook hands. A chill went up my back and I- I wanted to do everything I could to please him. So I followed him back to his domain. It’s very small and he’s a hermit with a guardian and some other member of that tiny coven. I could tell they were all impossibly cold.”<br/>Tak rolled her eyes and sighed.<br/>“You’re a people pleaser Zim, it’s how you see yourself as valuable. You likely just wanted to get on the good side of someone cold.”<br/>Skoodge turned from his pot to defend Zim.<br/>“Tak, the chill thing is the first sign followed by unnatural interest and then horrible pain.”<br/>“Well Zim did you feel horrible pain?”<br/>Zim stood straight with his fists perched on his hips.<br/>“It was like some rabid animal clawed my burning body and then grew whole new organs all while I screamed my throat raw. Clearly that’s what death feels like.”<br/>Zim’s smile didn’t falter as he spoke of this horrible pain.<br/>“Anyone can fake describing pain.”<br/>“Tak! Please show some kindness, he’s had a long night.”<br/>Tak growled and then shouted.<br/>“What about the mark!”<br/>“The mark?”<br/>Skoodge tilted his head in confusion.<br/>“Yes, the mark, all soulmates will have matching marks after their respective organs grow.”<br/>Tak saw the puzzled gazes of her two trainees and sighed, rolling her eyes.<br/>“Advanced soulmate recognizing, volume 3, second shelf on the right in Library One?<br/>...YOU'VE NEVER READ IT? I ASSIGNED IT AS WORK!”<br/>Both the young witches flinched at Tak’s schreechumg(schreechung) screeching tone.<br/>Zim could see one of Gir’s ears flop and worried his chaotic familiar would wake but he just rolled over and continued snoozing. Skoodge seemed to notice something.<br/>“Zim, have you always had that mark behind your ear?”<br/>“Huh?”<br/>Zim instinctively reached behind his left ear then threw his hand away from it a frozen look of fear on his face.<br/>“What? What’s wrong?”<br/>“The spot behind my ear is burning…”<br/>Tak had taken out a book from her side bag.<br/>“I guess you did meet your soulmate, I thought Skoodge would find his first for sure. Oh the burning is also normal, it doesn’t mean you’re weaker, you’d know this if YOU READ THE STARS DAMNED BOOK!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Wandering Thoughts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dib was out early in the morning in the garden. It was a Saturday so he didn’t have to interact with anyone except Derek and his family, but Derek was family.<br/>Derek crawled onto Dib’s shoulder and Dib held out a finger for the spider to climb onto. Being the only one in the family with a familiar was strange but nice.<br/>Dib’s mind wandered for a bit as he weeded the onions. Dib couldn’t stop his brain from dwelling over him. Just thinking his name filled Dib with a slight warmth and Dib mindlessly ran a finger over a warm spot behind his left ear. Then Dib refocused and plucked at the stubborn weeds harder.<br/>Hours ticked away and he felt a looming shadow over him.<br/>“Son, come inside for brunch, you’ve been out all morning.”<br/>His father’s goggles hid his eyes but Dib knew they were full of concern. He collected Derek back up and brushed off the dirt on his knees.<br/>“Alright, what are we having?”<br/>His father smiled and jumped into a long explanation of the nearly feast size of food he had prepared. They made their way out of the garden, through the shrubbery and past the greenhouse hill, up the stairs and through the front door. Gaz was likely in the study room reading her human stories like she usually did on Saturday mornings. Did b would never understand why she liked the dreadful stories. Give him a text book any day over a novel.<br/>But regardless the two day at the table and Gaz wandered down eventually with her nose in some novel about  human narcotic addicts. The family ate their fill and Dib decided to go monster hunting.<br/>“Do you wanna come Gaz?”<br/>“Maybe later.”<br/>She replied as she waved him away and climbed the stairs, her gaze never breaking from the page. Dib sighed but went upstairs to grab his coat, then back down for his bag, with Derek secure in his shoulder he gave a quick goodbye to his father and made his way down the endlessly long stairs.<br/>Today’s hunt was centered on the river that flowed throughout Anemous forest. It was believed that every coven, no matter the size were all on one long river weaving across the whole earth. Of course this was debatable but it was worth a good afternoon walk. Even though Dib hated people. It wasn’t them, well it was but just people man, they’re so social and ugh.<br/>Dib couldn’t stand people, even most other witches. And especially not those humans, they’re so dumb and judgmental and horrid. Dib likes reading about history and about how stupid the apes were. Never even learned how to use magic because any magic users were killed or moved into recluse areas and forests for safety, where they stayed because the apes created those horrible magic disrupting machines. That’s why Dib didn’t like the city, with all its bright lights and cars it weakened even his magic considerably. And that was something incredible considering Dib was made almost entirely of magic. The fact he had to trek into town every day for the disappointing education system was practically unbearable, in fact why did Dad even make them go to school, they hated people and the only good thing they learned was history, math, science, and human behavior, which helped with manipulating and fooling the dull witted homosapiens.<br/>Anyways while Dib had been monologuing up a storm in his head his feet followed the path of the quaint yet majestic river. He saw a small group of bellites from the pond he passed yesterday and his mind jumped to him again. Dib sat and pulled out his journal with a huff and started chronicling the actions and mannerisms of the peaceful pond side bellites. Bellites were gifted their name from their bell shaped armor that protected their minuscule inner organs and fragile skin, the armor would chime softly when the bellites moved or the wind blew against them, similar to their namesake. Dib found the soft chiming calming on most nights and dib cupped some water from the now stream like river and gulped it down thirstily. He sat back and felt Derek scuttle down to his hand where the spider dipped from the small still pool he had missed in his hand. Dib felt calm and decided to just sit and read for a bit with the chiming of the bellites in the background. Dib luckily packed a book and after shuffling through loads of trinkets and stones and other magically charged items he found a romance novel Gaz must’ve slipped in his bag. Dib rolled his eyes and taking another through check through his bag, he knew for sure that thins was the only book he had aside from his grimoire full of potent spells and his journal which he didn’t feel like reading today. So romance novel it was. Strangely the usual revolting tales of affection and pining made him sigh in, was that want? Behind his ear felt warm again and his mind once again reminisced on Zim. The stubborn witch who had followed him all the way to his own home. With anyone else it’d be appalling and make him wary, but for some unknown reason Dib’s brain saw the action as endearing, which was ridiculous. Dib shut the book and stood abruptly, startling the quiet Bellites and almost knocking Derek off his shoulder, which Derek clearly disliked if the disgruntled energy drifting from the arachnid was to be analyzed. Packing up Dib followed the river much faster then before desperate to clear his mind from that stupid greenish witch.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Some Light Reading</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tak had decided that the two apprentices would  better further their studies through consumption of written text. They were going to the library where they would stay reading for hours studying on two assigned works and then free study time before they would break for lunch and head to the training grounds where they would practice the spells they both knew and unfamiliar ones as well. This was a wonderful plan and Skoodge stated this happily while he stuffed his bag with the books he still need to return or renew from the library, Zim packed a near empty bag only filled with the essentials, grimoire, plague preventer, spare gloves and the familiar he could actually take to the library. Gir still snoozed on his bunk and Emm had settled into the bag with a complacent “Nyah” With that the trio was off, walking along the cables from their dwelling to the library. </p><p>The library was cool in color with reading cubbies all carved in the walls and shelves stuffed with books. Tak easily cast a summoning spell and pointed to one of the wall cubbies that would fit the two.<br/>“Find your books, read these, and study. And for the coldests’ sake Zim, read the books I assign. I’ll be back in 3 hours and I will be surveying you two.”<br/>Zim silently mocked Tak and rolled his eyes while Skoodge made his way to the necromancy shelf. Skoodge was very good at necromancy, as chilling as that was. Zim preferred spells of mass destruction. Especially if they could kill humans. Along with these books Zim also picked up one or two on soulmates. Purely for research purposes of course. His mind was not crawling with thoughts of the dark haired freezing cold witch, it most certainly wasn’t. He was not itching to sneak in his domain even to just observe him. Zim’s mind was clear and not clouded with thoughts of his very attractive soulmate. Zim marched back to the cubby, face ablaze and sat with such an energy that Emm nyahed in confusion. Zim brushed off his familiar’s question and opened his assigned reading.<br/>After staggering his way painfully through the books and staring at the sundial for the thousandth time, skoodge elbowed Zim lightly in the side pointing to Tak approaching with her menacing familiar Mimi perched on her shoulder. <br/>“That’s time for studying, we’re breaking for lunch, come on.”<br/>Zim sighed and shoved his things in his bag before hopping down from the in wall cubby. Skoodge soon following down the ladder with a heavy bag full of books. Skoodge the unstoppable they called him, incredibly skilled, but not very cold so he was often underestimated. Zim was lucky to be on Skoodge’s good side, stars knows what he does to his enemies. </p><p>The trio traversed down and up cables to reach the marketplace all the while Skoodge and Zim squabbled over buying or making food. Tak let the young witches argue, their opinions didn’t matter anyways as Tak would decide what they would do or eat during training hours. And today it would be sandwiches while they walked the length of the upper sector 1 cable system. This was a mental and physical exercise Tak’s own mentor pushed her and her fellow apprentices through. Tak knew that one day she’d have to boot Zim out of the apprenticeship and make Skoodge give her his all. Skoodge was a promising witch and Zim was a wacky loser who she knew snuck out to study human technology and actually had a grip on it quite well, which was terrifying considering how dangerous it was to a witch’s power. Zim was a horrible apprentice and couldn’t follow directions or be respectful, Tak only kept him around because he was all the direct family Skoodge had left after the sickness that swept over the C2 complex years ago️. Tak had lost a lot of family too, and the high fatality count was what led Tak to apprentice the two at all. Mimi meowed out an observation and Tak turned abruptly to see Zim missing, and Skoodge looking just as confused with his sandwich. Tak growled angrily at the fact that Zim had run off again and yelled furiously into the air.<br/>“ZIIIIIIMMMM!!!”</p><p>Zim grinned wildly as he raced along the river away from the magenta witch domain. He could feel his heart racing with adrenaline as he could faintly make out Tak screaming his name in rage. Zim had already passed his tree and only had one thought in his head, well maybe two.<br/>First off how funny Tak’s rage must be and how bad the punishment will be this time and the main thought of those brown eyes and cold hands. Zim felt a shiver go up his spine, similar to when they first touched but not as strong. Zim grinned and ran a little faster, the path to Dib’s domain engraved in his mind and the sound of the river drowning out any thoughts of worry. Zim could faintly see a figure walking along the river and he froze as thoughts started awaking and yelling in his head. Zim darted behind a nearby tree and peered at the still approaching humanoid shaped being. Zim hoped it was a returning witch from his coven  and not a human. When the creature got closer Zim’s breath tightened, it was him. Why was he walking along the river? Was he trying to find Zim like Zim was trying to find him? Regardless Zim silently thanked the stars and jumped back on the path excitedly, nearly giving his soulmate a heart attack.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Zim is a Jerk, a Horny Jerk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Thanks to korbyn for helping with this chapter, I owe you my life</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dib was much calmer than when he’d first arrived at the Anemous river. He continued to walk it’s edge and take in the peaceful atmosphere of the rushing body of water. Melodic tinging of bellites, voices of songbirds, and other forest ambience calmly passed over him. A faint sound whispered past his ears. It sounded like like footsteps.  Dib brushed the sound off as just animals padding across the forest floor, and watched the flow of the water. <br/>A sharp screech shattered the peaceful atmosphere<br/>.“Dib-thing!” <br/>“GAH-“ Dib jumped out of his skin, and into the water. After his fit of sputtering and choking was over, Dib looked to his shoulder and was relieved to see Derek safe and sound. He huffed and slicked back his soggy cowlick. Zim began to cackle like he’d just pulled the funniest stunt known to witch. He looked down at the soaked Dib, purple eyes glittering. Stars, he was obnoxious. <br/>“Oh, don’t look so excited to see me, stink-boy.” <br/>His shit-eating grin could curdle milk. Dib shakily stood, glaring at the boy. He chuckled bitterly. “Hah- yeah. You’re just the person I wanted to see... Please, keep interrupting my work, Zim.”<br/>Hearing his name spoken through Dib’s teeth gave him a fluttery feeling in his gut that he couldn’t quite explain. He shadowed Dib, grin still plastered on his pale green face.<br/>“What has the mighty Zim interrupted exactly?” There wasn’t a hint of apology in his voice. Only curiosity.<br/>Dib stared straight ahead.<br/> “If you must know, I’m testing a theory.” <br/>Dib pocketed his cold hands. Zim glanced at the taller and smirked. <br/>“You know,” Zim began in a haughty tone, <br/>“I bet you my hands are a lot warmer than yours.”<br/>“That just means that I’m more magical than you.” He responded dryly. <br/>“And- don’t say it with that tone. It’s... strange” <br/>Dib furrowed his brow and looked at the shorter witch. <br/>Zim had an idea.<br/>“I was just thinking about how cold you can get, is all.”<br/>He paused. “And how warm I can get.” <br/>Dib’s face flushed red against his will. “I- Zim, so help me I’ll- “ <br/>“Alright! Ok! I’ll change the subject...” Zim thought for a second. “Yesterday was eventful,” he offered with a smile. <br/>“Oh yeah, you mean when you were screaming and then squatted at my house..?” <br/>The question didn’t come out as annoyed as Dib had hoped… <br/>“Oh, well, I wasn’t thinking about that, but since you’ve clearly been thinking about it, fear not!” <br/>The boy stopped walking and dramatically pointed a finger into the air.<br/>“Zim’s receiver is quite well!” <br/>“Wh- I- STARS and SIGNS, Zim!”<br/>Dib’s face went hot.<br/>“You have no shame do you?” He spoke in a quick, hushed voice. <br/>“Not even about something so private?” <br/>At this point, both boys had stopped walking. <br/>Zim shrugged. “I mean, it happened to you too- how’s yours?”<br/>After a shaky sigh, Dib spoke through his teeth.<br/>“I am NOT going to talk about my dick, Zim.”<br/>“Your who-what, now?”<br/>“Human slang for givers, dumbass.”<br/>“Ah, right. I can’t be bothered remembering every disgusting human colloquialism.”<br/>The tension built for a while, every second growing more awkward. Nothing in the forest seemed to be moving. It was silent. <br/>“Can I see?”<br/>“WH- NO! Not only did we meet yesterday, but I already hate you!”<br/>Dib shouted, his face refusing to go back to its normal color. Zim pouted, and Dib started walking again. Zim ran in front of him.<br/>“Come on, Dib! You’re telling me you haven’t felt weird? You haven’t been craving what we read about inyour studies?” <br/>If Dib didn’t know better, he would say Zim sounded desperate. Maybe even close to begging. <br/>“Soulmates will want to consummate almost IMMEDIATELY!”<br/>“Yeah, well, we’re not soulmates! Guess that explains it!” He was pushing past Zim when he felt a jolt of warm electricity. The look on Zim’s face was a defeated, confused one. He had dib by the arm. <br/>“Just wait a second! You don’t feel cold? You don’t crave my warmth? Huh, Dib-cold??”<br/>“I’m not an animal, Zim. I’m not gonna fuck the first thing I see.”<br/>Zim refused to let go. “You know how familiars aren’t really animals, Dib?”<br/>He looked at Derek. <br/>“What of it.?”<br/>The change in Zim’s voice shook Dib’s insides. It was deep and intense. <br/>“But they look and act like them, don’t they, Dib..?”<br/>Dib began to shiver slightly more than usual. Zim tugged off his gloves and put them in his pocket. He quickly put his hands under Dib’s shirt and held his waist. <br/>“I- I hate you.” <br/>Dib stuttered. Now that he had the heat, he didn’t want to lose it. He held Zim close and enjoyed his temperature. Zim ran his hands up Dib’s back and smelled his shirt deeply. Dib didn’t want to like this. Seeing Zim so close. It disgusted him... didn’t it? <br/>“I want to go home.”<br/>Zim looked up at him concerned. <br/>“What about your experiment.?”<br/>Dib didn’t respond, he just lifted Zim and began walking home. <br/>“I’m going to freeze out here. I need to go home. I’m never this cold...”<br/>The shorter witch seemed to relax against him, spreading heat like a radiator on full blast.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Dying Flesh and Eternal Bones</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>TW for the Chapter!<br/>•zombies and decaying flesh<br/>•skeletons<br/>•Bone malformations<br/>•Animal fighting, Pokémon esqe, but still<br/>•Exposed muscle<br/>•maggots.<br/>•Intrusive thoughts<br/>We focus on Skooge and his familiar.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“He fucking left again.”<br/>
“Yep.”<br/>
The taller witch paced the floor as she fumed. She tugged at her blue hair and dug her sharp nails into her undercut.<br/>
“That bastard! He thinks he can just run off whenever he wants and avoid working? That’s a horrible work ethic, what would the coldest think?”<br/>
Mimi stalked beside her master, tail flicking as Tak grabbed a loose stone from the wall and shoved the curtain of their small dwelling to the side and hurled the sharp chunk of rock as far away as she could. Skoodge watched it sail past the wires of the wide alley and bounce off the opposite complex and far down to the ground.<br/>
“Wow, that was great Tak!”<br/>
Skoodge complimented her with a cautious grin, ducking as she lobbed a ball of fire at him.<br/>
“Oh shut up Skoodge! You’re always defending him! Get out and take your rotting familiar with you!”<br/>
Skoodge wasn’t an idiot, he knew when to leave Tak be, unlike Zim. He grabbed his bag and jumped on the wire beside their pathetic excuse of a front door. It was practically just a hole cut into a mountain like every other minimal dwelling in the magenta coven. Only the coldest had an actual front door, a grand one at that. All the other witches in the coven lived in identical 3-witch training dwellings with a bunk for the trainees, a fireplace for cooking, a table for eating and work and an upper area for the mentor. The coldest, on the other hand, lived in a lavish mansion with gorgeous architecture.They had the finest bed sheets and towels, and got the freshest food delivered to them every week. </p><p>Skoodge kept his attention to balancing on the sturdy wire as he got out of range of any attacks Tak may try, balancing was a skill all witches had to learn. If they couldn’t walk on the wires young witchlings would be sent to the underground classrooms with the toddlers and other children. It was insulting to be sent down there.<br/>
Skoodge mentally labeled the buildings as he passed by them.L1, C1, M1 ah, T1. The training grounds on the west line of buildings, perched atop each one sat the corresponding place that gave the building its name, the library, conference halls, the marketplace and the open training grounds.<br/>
The soft padding and unpleasant stench of his familiar greeted him,<br/>
“Evening Chunk.”<br/>
The squirrel chittered happily, rubbing his nose, which hadn’t fallen off yet thankfully.<br/>
“That’s good buddy, do you need any stitches?”<br/>
The undead squirrel answered no silently, his ability to speak aloud gone due to his withering vocal cords, for a dead imp he wasn’t bad at small talk.<br/>
Skoodge chatted idly with his friend, the smell of decaying flesh not bothering him; (he was a necromancer after all) corpses were kinda his thing! Now, dead bodies were easy to thrall, sure, but they were so high-maintenance! They easily fell apart, smelled awful, and that’s not to mention how slow and weak they were... Now skeletons, on the other hand, were far better minions! Without all that flesh weighing them down, they were agile, strong warriors, with very few weaknesses - not to mention how cool they look! Skeletons were truly the ideal.<br/>
One day, his familiar would be a dark, unstoppable minion who didn’t smell like rotting meat. Having a hairless Chunk would be a downer, but not stitching him up every week would more than make up for it.<br/>
Skoodge stepped into the training ground and waved at two familiar witches; Tenn, who’s magic was mostly animal based, - attach animal’s loyalty to a host, change its form, call nearby animals to help you fight- and Zee, a talented healer who’s especially knowledgeable in using herbs. The two waved back at him and returned to what they were doing. Zee was healing the scratches on Tenn’s arms and cheeks. She was also helping to calm one of Tenn’s feistier thralls, who was undeniably the culprit.<br/>
He grabbed his new book on necromancy and flipped it open to the page he had bookmarked.<br/>
“Hm, how do you feel about arena battles today Chunk?”<br/>
The squirrel responded enthusiastically through their mind link. Skoodge scratched his fuzzy friend’s ear and brought himself to a visibly exhausted arena supervisor,<br/>
“Make it quick, I have a break in 5 minutes.”<br/>
They droned out, nearly robotic with how monotonous it was. Skoodge selected a slip of paper from the table, he knew the drill,<br/>
" I want to enter a thrall battle,"<br/>
he signed the slip in front of him.<br/>
"How convenient for me, head to arena 7, there's someone waiting for an opponent."<br/>
The supervisor got up and seemed to fall asleep and proceeded to sleepwalk with only slight  swaying on the wire.</p><p>The arena was cool and open, stone floors with just enough give to land on while leaping during battle. Skoodge spotted his opponent with no visible thrall. Skoodge and Chunk arrived at arena 7.<br/>
“Hey there!”<br/>
He beamed as he set the squirrel down on the stone. The girl across the arena turned around, her long, curly hair swinging in the restraints of the ponytail. Skoodge spotted her dark eyes, immediately identifying her as a dark magic user like himself. Most magenta witches had purple or red eyes with a rare blue and green and some pinks scattered around. But the tar black eyes of those who used dark magic were a dead giveaway in the coven.<br/>
“Hello.”<br/>
She greeted him with a friendly wave,<br/>
He motioned to an empty spot next to her.<br/>
“Where’s your thrall?”<br/>
The girl hovered her hand over a spot on the ground. There was a light vibration that went out from that area. The concrete began to split and a skeleton emerged from the ground. The ghastly monster’s bones clicked in place and floated from the other bones where the muscle once was.<br/>
Skoodge gaped at the skeletal familiar and felt a flush color his cheeks accompanied with a flurry of thoughts that tugged at his ears and wailed. Chunk stood at the ready, gnashing his teeth at the skeleton and looking set to pounce.<br/>
“Both parties ready?”<br/>
The new supervisor asked as they  entered the arena and went to their booth, looking far less likely to pass out mid match. His opponent nodded, Skoodge forcing his writhing thoughts back and responded chipperly.<br/>
“Yep!”<br/>
“Then begin!”<br/>
The witch across the arena swiped her hand to the side, illusions of light glittering by her fingers. Her familiar leapt into battle and struck at Chunk. As it was a mere physical attack Chunk seemed unfazed and looked back at Skoodge for orders.<br/>
Skoodge knew that most physical attacks would be useless against a skeleton as they felt no pain and could easily reassemble themselves, zombies not so much. His mind stuppered for an attack plan, the idea of planting a curse on Chunk to keep him from physical harm slipping past and his worries rushed back and screeched at him to choose quickly. Choosing the impulsive path in a panic he cast a spell of Chunk to make the skeleton animal fall apart when Chunk would attack.<br/>
The other witch finished charging her attack and blasted it at her familiar with a smirk. The beast howled like a dry gust of wind against the mountains and stood still as its bones grew sharp serrated edges. The sound was the worst of it, cracking and scraping noises that consumed the arena and gathered in the dark corners. The beast showed no problem with it and charged at Chunk, who clawed at the beast’s rib cage.<br/>
The clatter on bone of rock filled the air and Skoodge celebrated momentarily before the transfigured osseous clicked back into place.  The newly formed skeleton slashed at Chunk, cutting open his decomposing belly, a few maggots crawling out from under the skin.<br/>
Skoodge took in a gasping breath, he couldn’t let the being land another hit, it’d cut right through the exposed muscle and leave Chunk incapacitated.Skoodge shrieked and grabbed Chunk before the bone animal could tear through his friend. A whistle blew in the distance.<br/>
"Out!"<br/>
Skoodge's body slumped down, his head drooping. He just held the animal close.<br/>
<i>Coward. <i><br/>
His mind taunted him, he stroked Chunk’s head slowly to zone it out.<br/>
“Is he alright?”<br/>
The witch asked as she moved over to Skoodge, the skeleton was out of sight.<br/>
“I didn’t mean to scare you that bad… I’m Lucille.”<br/>
“Skoodge…”<br/>
The necromancer responded politely, hearing steps approaching from the supervision booth.<br/>
“What was that?”<br/>
The supervisor queried, seemingly dumbfounded over the battle,<br/>
“I’ve seen you battle before, that was just… you, girl, how about you teach him something about familiar battles because that? It’s pathetic.”<br/>
Lucille nodded and smiled at Skoodge, he felt his stomach drop.</i></i></p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Flirts and Fires, and a damn good meal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We return to Dib and Zim once more as they make it to the membrane coven. Dib continues to be a jerk and Zim continues to be horny. <br/>Thank you so much witchie for helping me write the first half of the chap!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dib’s fingers felt warm for once, and not even numb in the slightest. Zim was warm, very warm, at least compared to Dib. The obnoxious witch was laying against his chest and fiddling with his own dark hair, thankfully quiet for once. Zim was staring at him, bright purple eyes that seemed to be putting him under some sort of spell<br/>“What are you gawking at?”<br/>Dib growled, hating the warmth that burned his cheeks. Zim just smiled mischievously and leaned ever closer. “Just a witch with a huge head”<br/>Dib glared at the magenta witch,<br/>“I should just drop you, and my head isn’t big!”<br/>“You won’t though.”<br/>“Watch me.”<br/>Dib let go to the boy and grinned, hands calmly by his head,<br/>“You were saying?”<br/>“How dare you drop Zim!!” <br/>The magenta witch yelled from the forest floor. Dib snickered and adjusted his bag,<br/>“Heh, pretty easily apparently.”<br/>Zim looked up at Dib, not moving from the floor even an inch. <br/>"Aren't you going to stand up?"<br/> Dib asked, getting sick of Zim’s attitude already.<br/>"No, i don't think i will" <br/>Zim stated, crossing his arms and looking away from his soulmate. Dib rolled his eyes,<br/>“Come on, up.”<br/>Zim didn’t budge,<br/>“So help me Zim, I will carry you like a sack of potatoes across my back.”<br/>Dib growled the threat, patience dwindling. Zim sighed and fully laid on the ground with his eyes closed. Dib could feel a vein in his forehead pop, why did he have to have the most insufferable soulmate ever <br/>"Come on Zim, it's getting colder and i cant leave you here.”<br/> The smaller witch opened one eye to look at Dib "Oh? Zim thought that the Dib didn't want him near him" <br/>He gave Dib a sly smile. The insomniac witch grabbed Zim by his thighs and hoisted him over his shoulder.<br/>“I never said that. It’s getting dark and the monsters are coming out soon.” </p><p>Dib walked while Zim whined and screamed demanding to be carried nicely, but Dib made no effort to make that happen. <br/>“Suck it up buttercup, you were the one who didn’t want to work with me. Now shush, do you want to be eaten alive?”<br/>Dib readjusted Zim on his shoulder and sped up his walk, he could see the orchard in the distance. Derek exclaimed his joy about being home and proclaimed his weariness.<br/>"Where are you even taking Zim anyways?"<br/>“Home, duh, where else would I take you this late?”<br/>“I dunno, somewhere sexy?”<br/>Dib sputtered,<br/>“No! I just- you’re a pervert Zim.”<br/>Zim didn’t even try to deny it, he just gave a little humm and kept swinging his legs up and down. Dib rolled his eyes, blush still heavy on his face, luckily Zim couldn’t see it. <br/>“Why are you so... into that anyways? You barely just got the, ehh, equipment.”<br/>“I’m not sure actually, it feels weird but right at the same time, does the Dib really doesn’t feel like that?”<br/>Zim mused, curiosity overpowering his desire to be a smug bastard. <br/>“No, I barely met you.”<br/>Dib started up the steps to a dark woodsy manor on a hill surrounded by wood of fruit trees and a greenhouse complex. <br/>“Well in that case, Zim will have to spend a lot more time with around here” <br/>Even when he couldn’t see his face Dib knew exactly what look Zim had on his face. The smug brat. Dib snorted out his nose,<br/>“If dad’ll let you, I doubt it.”<br/>They reached the manor’s front gate and Dib bent a little to let Zim down. He opened the front door with a key he pulled from his bag and pushed his hair back,<br/>“I’m home!”<br/>He called out to the well lit empty room<br/>“Welcome back son!”<br/>A voice boomed from above. Zim looked up to the source of the voice, he saw what he assumed was Dib’s father. Even from afar Zim could tell that he was a tall witch, and a really cold one too if Dib was his son. <br/>“You’re just in time for supper!”<br/>The man moved forward with a slight limp and hugged Dib tight, the younger witch patting his shoulder with a cough. Upon closer inspection Zim could tell that… the man was warm, only slightly so, like a dim, dying fire.<br/>Zim stood there awkwardly waiting to be noticed. "Ah, you are the young witch that snuck into my domain the other night.”<br/>“Yeah, he’s a trouble maker, been following me for stars know how long.”<br/>Dib huffed, The smaller witch rolled his eyes,<br/> "I am Zim, Dib's soulmate" <br/>he said, shooting a glance at Dib and back to the elder witch. Dib's face went red within an instant, that's definitely not how he was planning to tell his father.<br/>“Allegedly.”<br/>He hissed, crossing his arms and hanging his bag on a hook by the door. He fished out Derek and attempted to get to his room.<br/>“Dib, you have a guest, be nice and show them around, don’t just run off to your room.”<br/>"Yes Diiiiiiibb, be nice and show me around"<br/>“Ugh! This is the living room, the bunker's under it, that’s the kitchen and everything is upstairs.”<br/>Dib pointed sharply at each offending area and stomped up the stairs, not bothering to beckon Zim. Membrane shook his head. <br/>"Dib I’m serious go show Zim around the house," The elder looked back at Zim, <br/>"Supper will be ready in just a moment, i'm assuming you'll be staying for it right?" <br/>Zim looked directly at Dib <br/>"Oh I would love to"<br/>“I hope you choke on dinner and perish.”<br/>Dib muttered under his breath and grabbed Zim’s wrist, dragging him along. Dib showed Zim around the manor, it was big, especially for just three people.<br/>“Study, bathroom, Gaz’s room, supply closet, my room, Dad’s room, dad’s study.”<br/>He stated in the order he passed the rooms, entering his room and letting Derek onto a string of webbing leading to the spider’s den. Dib set his hat on his desk and went to sit on his bed. Zim looked around the room, it was dark and messy. Books everywhere, notes all over the walls,  'It looks like Dib, in a weird way'  Zim thought, He walked over to where Dib was sitting and sat next to him. <br/>“Stars it’s been a long day...”<br/>Dib laid back and rubbed his face, his body ached with exhaustion as he grabbed weakly for his grimoire, cussing when he remembered it was downstairs.<br/>“Fuck.”<br/>Zim laid back as well, turning his face towards Dib. <br/>"So Dib-mate what are we gonna do?". <br/>Dib looked directly at the other witch besides him <br/>"First, we haven't done it so I'm not your mate"<br/> Dib growled, trying to fight back the redness of his face, <br/>"And second, we aren't going to do anything, we'll just stay here until my father finishes making supper."<br/>“You’re no fun!”<br/>Zim whined, rolling onto his stomach and pouting at Dib. The colder witch mumbled a spell to himself, getting an energy boost from the memorized magic words. Zim stared out the window next to Dib bed, the stars were starting to peek from the horizon . There was a brief moment of silence between them. <br/>"Hey..." <br/>Zim spoke softly, It was the softest Dib has heard him sound since they've met, <br/>"Hmm?" <br/>"Before we met, what did you think your soulmate was going to be like?"<br/>“Dunno, never really thought about it much. I was too busy learning magic and avoiding death, hunting monsters and gardening. Gaz was the one who took an interest in romance when we were younger.” <br/>Dib paused for a moment. <br/>“What about you?" <br/>Zim turned his head towards Dib, but he wasn't looking at him. <br/>"To be honest, i didn't think i had one",<br/> he finally looked at Dib, purple eyes seeming to glow in the low lighting.<br/>"It’s not that I didn't want one, I just didn't think there would be anyone good enough for Zim". <br/>Dib raised an eyebrow<br/>"Really?”<br/> Dib let his amused tone seep out.<br/>"And now that we've met, do you think I'm good enough?”<br/>Zim looked back at the window<br/>"Well lets see, you are very boring, you barely want to touch me, your only friend is your spider, and you seem to only be interested in books."<br/>Zim locked eyes with the other witch.<br/>"But you're also very smart, and kinda fun to be around, so definitely"<br/>“High standards, yeah right. And you just met me, I’m <strong>not</strong> boring.”<br/>Dib sat up and popped the collar of his coat,<br/>“Besides, I’m badass, and cool!”<br/>Zim sat back up staring at Dib <br/>"Oh yeah, then do something interesting right now"<br/>Dib grinned and conjured a ball of flame in his palm, closing his eyes and focusing.<br/>It slowly took the form of a certain witch, with pushed up hair and a short stature. The little fire Zim crossed its arms and sat down on Dib’s hand. While concentrating Dib failed to notice Zim getting closer to him. Dib made the fire banish and opened his eyes to the image of Zim's face right in front of his. <br/>“Saturn! Can you back up or something?”<br/>Dib asked, a panicked flush setting over his face<br/>"No" <br/>Zim said, climbing up to sit on Dib's lap. Zim took Dib's hands and placed them on his hips. Dib gulped, but simply stared at Zim's bright eyes, the short witch had a smug smile like he was planning something. <br/>“What are you doing Zim?”<br/>It was a question, but the tone was more of a warning. Something twisted in his stomach, he pulled his hands back from Zim’s warm cushy hips He quickly stood up, making Zim fall.<br/>"Aaahh! it's the second time i've fallen on my ass today because of you!!!"<br/>Dib didn't look at Zim, trying to hide his red face<br/>“We should go see if my dad's finished."<br/>Zim pouted,<br/>“Not until you apologize to me!”<br/>Dib let out a long sigh and held out his hand for Zim to grab <br/>"I'm sorry okay?"<br/>Zim blush a soft pink, he took Dib's hands and let Dib pull him up. <br/>“I’m gonna help with dinner... feel free to explore the house.”<br/>Dib let the magenta go and walked downstairs, leaving Zim to himself. <br/>The kitchen smelled heavenly, a myriad of spices and vegetables. His father stood by the counter and chopped at a moderate pace. Gaz sat on the counter and measured out some flour.<br/>“Hey lover boy, you done messing around with your boyfriend?”<br/>“Gaz! He’s not my boyfriend.”<br/>Dib’s voice cracked slightly, the half demon snickered,<br/>“You gonna help make the roux or whine about your boy toy?”<br/>“Gazlene, be nice to your brother, Dib, get the milk from the fridge and a pot.”<br/>Gaz shrugged as Dib fetched the items. Gaz poured the flour in the pot and added milk, whisking it and lighting a small flame with her fingers.<br/>“Good Gazlene! Now add the cheese slowly.”<br/>“What are you even making?”<br/>“Cauliflower cheese soup son.”<br/>“Yum…”<br/>Dib replied sarcastically, Gaz growled and gave him a stink eye,<br/>“Be useful and set the table for four Dib.”<br/>“Stars I got it! No need to hex me.”</p><p>When Zim returned to the kitchen, the smell of common game cooked to perfection, paired with a comforting aroma of thick filling soup,<br/>“Mmm, smells good. Is it ready?”<br/>“Yeah, take a seat.”<br/>Gaz gestured to an empty seat beside Dib, who looked bored out of his mind. Gaz washed her hands and sat beside her father, leaving Zim to sit in between the siblings. After washing his hands of course, gloves tucked into his pocket.<br/>Portions were given out and Zim ate like he never would again from how Dib saw it, pitiful. Dib could only assume that the witch wasn’t fed enough to satisfy his hunger, or perhaps the magenta was just greedy. Anything goes with outsiders honestly.<br/>“So you’re half demon?”<br/>Zim asked Gaz curiously, the purple haired Membrane grinned.<br/>“Yep, powers and all.”<br/>Zim shuddered in his seat,<br/>“She’s harmless, she’s a healing witch anyways.”<br/>Dib cut in, getting a growl fromGaz,<br/>“Okay, maybe not <i>harmless<i>...”<br/>Dib corrected, careful to avoid Gaz’s wrath, Zim scooted closer and leaned in with a smile,<br/>“So, any dessert?~”<br/>“I made lemon bars!”<br/>Membrane answered, and Dib was finally free from that intoxicating gaze.</i></i></p>
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